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The meeting settled into opening worship at the appointed hour on the morning of Seventh-day, Tenth Month 11, 2003. Clerk Dudley (Sandy) Heath (Moorestown Meeting) welcomed those assembled in the West Room of the Arch Street Meeting House. He noted that this called session of our Yearly Meeting has the specific focus of attention to the report of those who have been evaluating our structure, and 4 of the 13 recommendations.
Sandy, usually Alternate Clerk, engaged us with sports metaphors as he introduced Henry Beck (Gwynedd Meeting) as today’s Alternate Clerk and Suzanne Day (Westfield Meeting) as Recording Clerk. After reviewing the agenda for the day, he introduced Gretchen Castle (Doylestown Meeting), who served as clerk of the Structure Evaluation Project Group (SEPG), fondly referred to as “Seepage,” which thoroughly enjoyed one another as they labored together for almost two years. Members of the group introduced themselves. Their goal statement addressed a basic query: “How is the present structure serving to enrich and support the spiritual journeys of Meetings, members, and attenders?” The group created a project plan at the outset, tracked tasks with reports at each meeting, and concluded most meetings with verbal evaluation. They enjoyed the process and commend it to other PYM committees and working groups.
Minute: Minute of Appreciation
Gretchen reviewed the process and proposed a minute of appreciation for those whose gifts made possible the work of this group. The body of the meeting approved this minute:
Structure Evaluation Project Group extends a minute of thanks to all Friends who responded to our requests for input. It is with the help of so many Friends that we were able to create a composite view of the strengths and challenges of the Yearly Meeting structure. We would like to extend a special thanks to several people who were of great assistance to us. They are: Arlene Kelly, former clerk of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and Thom Jeavons, General Secretary, who served as ex officio members; Connie Blood, Joan Gill, and Elke Muller, who gave us staff support; Stephen Loughin of Old Haverford Meeting and Paul Buckley of Clear Creek Meeting (Indiana), who offered statistical analysis and documentation assistance; Sandy Heath, Kenneth Cook, Chris Nicholson, and Amy Kelly who assisted in Meeting visitation. We are grateful for their generosity.
Minute: First Recommendation: Advisory Committee
The recommendation that PYM formally name an Advisory Committee was presented by Susan Makler.
In response to questions, the recommendation was clarified to include that the clerk of Yearly Meeting would clerk the Advisory Committee and that its at-large members would be named by Nominating Committee. Several Friends in the body of the meeting appealed for an opportunity to settle and receive the full report before moving directly to decisions about the four recommendations. While the linear agenda moves us toward decisions, the holistic approach provides a foundation for moving ahead.
Are we developing a structure which insulates the Yearly Meeting in session from the engaging process of making decisions and approving corporate action? Are we losing or ignoring the Quarterly Meeting as a potentially effective level for activity? Does Monthly Meeting covenanting with Yearly Meeting reduce the Quarterly Meeting’s function? Are we recognizing the powerful process of Yearly Meeting members serving on working groups and committees discerning what might be rightly brought before Yearly Meeting in session? Can we do better at drawing those who labor in our Monthly Meetings to know about and feel responsible for involvement in Yearly Meeting work? Being invited to participate in service to one’s near neighbor or across the world helps a Friend to become less fearful and more hopeful in this world which is so rapidly changing.
Those who are newly-arrived as Friends tend to become involved in their local meetings with awareness of Quarterly and Yearly Meeting much slower to develop. Corporate action decisions seem less likely today at all levels than historically. Our historic process of seasoning concerns and callings may be discouraged by our structure. In a cultural milieu which is increasingly secular, we intend to subject our decisions to God’s Light. In evaluating our structure let us be open to the words of Susanna Morris, a 17th century traveling minister: “We are never safe until we feel the power of God’s plow breaking us into tenderness.”
Following a break, Gretchen Castle observed that our structure is a container within which our religious life can flourish freely. The body of the meeting agreed to turn its attention to the Advisory Committee recommendation.
Considering the composition of the group, the at-large members named by the Nominating Committee might wisely include those serving as Quarterly Meeting clerks. The composition of the Advisory Committee is a separate issue from what the group is assigned to do. Since the intention is to avoid this group becoming or being perceived as an elite power center, could their charge be ad hoc as determined by Interim Meeting? It was the intention of SEPG that the Advisory Committee serve to improve communication, to maintain attention on the big picture. Responsiveness of Yearly Meeting working groups and Yearly Meeting staff to members and Meetings is in contrast to a generalized mistrust of leadership and staff.
In looking ahead to how the Advisory Committee might function, Friends recognized that it has both purposes of communication across different subcommunities and vision for the whole Yearly Meeting under God’s leading. Concern was expressed that the Advisory Committee be of a size and meet in such time and space that allows for discernment in support of Yearly Meeting’s other groups. Several who currently serve on Administrative Group do not want to lose its valuable process.
Looking at the recommendation as brought to us, Friends at this session insert the words “up to” before “five at-large members” and recognize that the job description for the Advisory Committee needs further development. Trusting the evolutionary process, Friends accepted the work of SEPG and asked SEPG to bring a refined Advisory Committee job description for approval by Interim Meeting.
The minutes to this point were approved and the meeting adjourned for lunch.
Minute: Fourth Recommendation: Volunteer Resources
Dorothy Carroll (Birmingham Meeting )and John Kelly (Princeton Meeting) opened the afternoon session with humor as they drew our attention to the fourth recommendation, that a group be appointed to examine the issue of volunteer resources within our structure at all levels: monthly, quarterly and yearly meetings.
While many raised questions about the intended purpose of “less demanding structure,” the body of the meeting recognized that our human resources are stretched thin as we hope to function as an organization of lay leaders. Examining these issues may increase awareness and interest and derive new ways to function as a Religious Society. The process may enliven our membership. The definition of what we would appoint this group to do needs to include spiritual discernment; the first sentence is the recommendation, the other two are commentary. Our human resources are drawn to the work which feels divinely led. The Meeting approved the Nominating Committee appointing this study group.
Minute: Second Recommendation: Field Secretary
Robert Dockhorn (Green Street Meeting) introduced the proposal to create or reconfigure a staff position of Field Secretary at Yearly Meeting to connect Monthly Meetings and members looking for services, to be alert for connections which might benefit local Friends in different Meetings, to help identify and develop leadership. The SEPG views the Field Secretary as complementary to Quarterly Meeting staff. Our interdependence needs to be more clear; the reality is that we each relate to others and make choices among conflicting demands.
Should the position of General Secretary be redefined to permit greater attention to field coordination? Our budget decisions can be more transparent to our membership as we reconfigure staff responsibility to make someone responsible for nurturing local Meetings and the members they appoint to Interim Meeting. Many Friends held up with appreciation the way Joan Broadfield has linked Friends and advised Meetings. Now that Joan has the assignment of Peace and Justice Coordinator, her duties as central information source are in the hands of Mary Anne Crowley, whom Thom Jeavons introduced. Helen Fields, in her new staff position focusing on elementary religious education, will be visiting Meetings.
The meeting was in unity that the functions recommended by SEPG will benefit our Yearly Meeting and approved that the General Secretary work with his Oversight Committee and the Administrative Group and report to Interim Meeting on how best to work toward the goals of this recommendation.
Minute: Third Recommendation: Long Range Planning Committee
Paul Kester (Newtown Meeting) brought forward the recommendation for a Long Range Planning Committee to report annually to Yearly Meeting in session. If this on-going attention to our work as a Yearly Meeting functions well, we should never again loose the energy that occurs when Friends are dissatisfied with our organization. Friends General Conference Central Committee’s Discernment in Long Range Planning produces every five years a document for the body’s review and guidance. The deep, Spirit-led listening process within FGC has enlivened committees with emphasis on the word and deed of discernment. Our meeting approved accepting this recommendation with the name of the group to be “Discernment and Envisioning.”
(Note to Advisory Committee from Allen Reeder: This minute does not mention that Paul Kester said to remove a clause from the pre-printed recommendation about the Long Range Planning Committee being a subcommittee of Interim Meeting.)
Minute: Minute of Gratitude
Alternate Clerk Henry Beck read a minute of gratitude for the diligent, devoted, discerning, and delightful work of SEPG and appreciation of the gifts of the individuals and the group in this service to the Yearly Meeting. The body approved this minute:
As the final report of the Structure Evaluation Project Group is received, we are led to reflect not only on the fruits of your work, but also on the spirit in which you have carried it out. The task assigned you was to evaluate the structure of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting put into place five years ago. In the eighteen months of your work you have met through every season for four-hour stretches every three to four weeks. Additionally, you have traveled to many Monthly Meetings to be in dialogue with Friends there. Out of a deep caring to ensure that every Friend who had thoughts to offer would be heard, you labored diligently over the instruments to be used to gather information and developed several channels through which information could flow. There has been a faithfulness in your analysis of the abundant responses to your efforts, resulting in the final report which has been received. These achievements, in and of themselves, would be worthy of our appreciation.
You gave us, however, a greater gift if we take time to receive and understand it. Those in close proximity to your work may have developed a suspicion of the laughter emanating from the room when you met. Closer observation, however, would have led to the discovery that you were, most of the time, experiencing a true joy in what you were doing and had developed bonds of affection which carried you through the rough spots. While fulfilling your job of looking at the structure of the Yearly Meeting you structured your work in innovative ways which provide lessons for others going forward. A true sharing of the Group's work allowed each person's gifts to be offered in the service of the Spirit and of the Yearly Meeting. You modeled for us ways in which busy Friends can gain fulfillment and joy in working on behalf of the Spirit.
To you, Frances N. Beer, John P. Kelly, Dorothy H. L. Carroll, H. Paul Kester, Gretchen Castle, H. Taylor Lamborn, John M. Caughey, Susan R. Makler, Robert Dockhorn, Marilyn Trueblood, we minute our deep gratitude for the thoroughness, commitment and loving care you gave to the work of the Structure Evaluation Project Group. Your work, which has served all of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, has been an act of loving service, carried out in the Spirit.
This minute has been approved by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, in Special Session, October 11, 2003.
Dudley (Sandy) Heath, Clerk Pro Tem
Minute: Remaining Recommendations
Gretchen Castle then noted the remaining recommendations of SEPG which would be referred to other bodies, and these referrals were approved.
Accountability for follow-up on the work of SEPG, the recommendations approved today and the other issues referred will rest with the clerks of Yearly Meeting and Interim Meeting and their Alternate Clerks. The meeting accepted that the work of SEPG will have concluded once they have brought to Interim Meeting the job description for the Advisory Committee. While we are laying down the SEPG, we understand that this kind of work will be continued as our Discernment and Envisioning Group becomes established.
These minutes were approved and the meeting adjourned following grateful worship.
Last modified: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 at 05:40 AM